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Insanity The Asylum Volume 2 – Upper Elite Review

Insanity The Asylum Volume 2 – Upper Elite Review

Shaun T meant it when he said he was taking it up a notch! We all asked for more weights work from Shaun – Insanity had none, Asylum Volume 1 had some, but Insanity the Asylum Volume 2 has it GOING ON! This is just the third workout in the series that I have reviewed, but he has gone bananas with the upper body work and included plenty of weights in Upper Elite.

I am an ultrarunner. I don’t spend much time with upper body weights – I don’t want to carry a lot of weight on top. In doing today’s workout I decided to use lighter weights, copying what the girls in the video were using. It was plenty for me, especially the first time through so I could learn the workout and the pacing. It is a full hour long and has just a few breaks – get ready to go when you put this one in! Upper Elite focuses on biceps, triceps, deltoids (all three areas), pecs, abs (all areas), and he throws in some agility work in the ladder just for fun. That is my favorite part!

FAQs about Asylum Volume 2

I have had some GREAT questions about Asylum Volume 2. Please keep sending them my way.

1. Do I need to do Asylum 1 first? I think it helps because Shaun T builds upon what happened in Volume 1, but it isn’t 100% necessary. However, the currently available version of Asylum Volume 2 does not include the agility ladder or speedrope. (You can provide your own or click the links in the last sentence to buy them separately.) Another reason to have Asylum 1 is to do the hybrid at the end. Can you imagine 8 weeks of Asylum Volume 1 AND Asylum Volume 2 together? YAHH!

2. It looks way too hard, forget it. OK, it isn’t easy and it isn’t for beginners, but it isn’t as crazy as it looks. Until this review, the only videos you may have seen me do are the Agility Tutorial and X Trainer, both of which were very focused on the agility ladder. I am a trail runner so this comes easily to me. My trails are rocky, rooty, mountain trails so running for me is basically constant 3-D agility ladder work with forward momentum. I am not an expert, and the sequences are taught in a really straightforward fashion. Give it a shot!

3. How much space do I need to do Asylum Volume 2? Ideally about 10′x15′ if you want to set everything up and not shuffle things around. Otherwise, just enough room to set up your agility ladder and have space to work on all sides of it. The ladder is about the same length as the plyo pad, or a yoga mat. Also, you will want to have enough height to use the speed rope. In a pinch, move furniture around a bit to add a little extra space.

What types of workouts are in The Asylum Volume 2?

Here’s the breakdown. I am working my way through each so please come back to see reviews and videos for each:

UPPER ELITE – 60 mins. of dynamic work for shoulders, biceps, triceps, chest, and back

POWER LEGS – 55 mins. of burning work for quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves

AB SHREDDER – 20 mins. of ab work with NO sit-ups or crunches

BACK & 6-PACK – 40 mins of 360-degree core work that shreds fat while building the core

CHAMPIONSHIP – 60 mins. of Game Day Take 2

OFF-DAY STRETCH – 30 mins. of stretching and refocusing

What comes with The Asylum Volume 2?

Great question! At the time I’m writing this, the only kit available is the Base Kit which comes with the workout discs, schedules (30 days plus an additional 8 week Asylum 1/Asylum 2 hybrid schedule), quick start guide, and nutrition guide. You will need to have your own agility ladder, speedrope, weights, and floor mat. If you already own The Asylum Volume 1, you should have everything you need. If you don’t, I suggest getting it and starting with that program before taking on The Asylum Volume 2!